Vanity case



Dec. 1, 1936. J. KREISLER a VANITY CASE Filed Feb. 10, 1936 H INVENTOR flcquss' KRs/SLER.

BY Z

ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 1, 1936 UNITED STTES PATENT OFFICE 20 Claims.

The present invention relates to vanity cases, and more particularly, to the combination with a vanity case of a mirror which is projected externally of the case when the cover is opened.

The invention may be used with special advantage in connection with roll-top vanity cases, although it will be apparent that the invention is of more general application. In certain roll-top vanity cases, provision is made for projecting the mirror externally of the case when the roll-top cover is moved to open position to permit access to the powder receptacle. In accordance with the present invention, the mirror is projected externally of the case when the cover is moved to open position and provision is also made for automatically moving the mirror to a position at an angle to the plane of the cover to permit the use of the mirror while holding the case in a horizontal position, thus eliminating the danger of spilling powder from the powder receptacle when the mirror is being used. This is accomplished in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention by pivotally mounting the mirror on the cover by a spring hinge which yields to permit the mirror to lie flat against said cover so that the 25 latter may be moved to closed position, and which is effective to project the mirror to its said angular position automatically when the cover is moved to open position.

For a complete understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following description and to the accompanying drawing which discloses the presently preferred embodiment, it being understood, however, that said description and drawing are to be considered as illustrative of the invention and not in limitation thereof.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a roll-top vanity case embodying the present invention;

0 Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a vanity case illustrating the projected and angular position of the mirror when the cover of the vanity case is moved to open position, and showing also the cover for the powder compartments in open position;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of the cover and the mirror carried thereby with parts broken away for the sake of clearness in illustration;

Fig. 4. is a perspective view of a spring member 50 utilized in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 5 is a sectional View on the line 55 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is an end view of the spring member shown in Fig. 4.

55 Referring to the drawing .in detail, there is shown a roll-top vanity case It], comprising a container frame including side walls I 2 provided with grooves or tracts i i extending peripherally on the inner sides thereof and within which a slidable closure I6 is movable to cover and uncover said 5 case. A powder compartment or tray i8 and a rouge or other cosmetic compartment or tray 22) are mounted in the container frame between the side walls l2 and are normally concealed by the slidable closure l6 when the latter is in closed po- 10.

sition, as illustrated in Fig. 1, but which are uncovered when the slidable closure is moved to open position, as illustrated in Fig. 2. The powder compartment i8 is provided with a pivoted closure 22 which is normally held in closed posi- 15 tion by a releasable catch 24.

A mirror 26 is carried by the case in the manner hereinafter described so that it is automatically projected beyond one end of the case when the cover 56 is moved to open position. In accordance with the present invention, provision is made for causing said mirror to assume an angular position in relation to the powder tray and to the plane of the projected portion of the cover whereby the case may be held in horizontal position during the use of the mirror, as illustrated in Fig. 2. By virtue of this construction, the spilling of powder from the compartment M, which might otherwise occur'fis prevented as it is not necessary to tilt the case in order to enable the user to observe her image in the mirror.

The closure I6 comprises a flexible portion 28 and a rigid portion 39, the adjacent edges of said portions being hinged together. The flexible portionof the closure i6 is constituted by pivoted link members 32 and the rigid portion of said closure is constituted by a plate 34. Said plate 34 is connected at one end 36 to one of the adjacent links 32 of the flexible closure portion 28, and at its other end is provided with an upstanding portion 38 which engages one end of the frame it and terminates in a free edge 48 which abuts the free end of the flexible portion 28 of the closure it? when the latter is in closed position. The outer surface of the cover portion 30 is designed to simulate the appearance of the flexible portion 28. Asbest shown in Fig. 3, the side edges #12 of the plate 34 are inturned and overlie the body portion of said plate.

The mirror 26, as here shown, comprises a holder constituted by a metal plate 44 having inturned side edges 45 and an inturned edge 48 by which the mirror glass 50 is held in position on said holder. The ends of the edges 46, remote from the end edge 48 of the plate 44, arebent inwardly to overlie one edge of the mirror glass 50 to secure the latter in the holder. The mirror is pivotally mounted on theplate 34 by means of a spring member 52 of the form shown in Fig. 4. Said spring member comprises a laterally displaced or central bowed portion 54, opposite side portions 56 and reflexed end portions 58. The central bowed portion 54 and side portions 56 are twisted in relation to said end portions 58. Said central portion of the spring is preferably fiattened and is relatively thin so that the mirror glass 50 can be close to the plate 44, while the remaining portions of the spring may be of circular cross sections. Said spring member may be formed by bending a wire into the necessary form and flattening the central portion thereof by means of a hammer, and the ends 58 may be readily twisted in any suitable way. The spring member 52 is connected to the plates 34 and 44, said side portions 56 being disposed between the inturned edge 48 and the underlying portion of the plate 44 and extending beyond the side edges of said plate. Said inturned edges 58 are fixed to the plate 34 by placing them between the inturned edge portions 42 and the underlying portions of the plate 34. The spring is held against movement longitudinally of the plate 34 by prongs 60 bent downwardly from the edge portions 42 on opposite sides of the spring portions 56. When the mirror glass 5! is assembled with its holder, it overlies the bowed portion 54 which is thereby caused to assume a position parallel to the adjacent surfaces of the mirror glass and plate 44.

'When the spring is secured to the cover plate 34,

either in the manner described or in some other suitable way, the mirror 26 is disposed at an angle to said plate, the angular relation depending upon the degree of twist, preferably less than of said end portions 58 in relation to the side portions 56. As here shown, said end portions are twisted to an angular position of 45 in relation to the side portions 56 and the central portion 54, and therefore causes the mirror to assume a position in a plane at an angle of substantially 45 to the plane of the cover portion 34. It will be understood, however, that said angular relation may be varied. When the cover is closed the mirror is caused to lie parallel to the plate 34 and the spring 52 is thereby tensioned. When the cover is moved to open position, the tension of the spring causes the mirror to move to its angular position.

The vanity case may vary as to details of construction, but preferably is of the same construction as that described in my co-pending application referred to above, except for the provision for pivotally mounting the mirror on the cover. It will be understood, however, that the invention is in no way restricted to the specific vanity case construction shown herein or in my earlier application but may be used with other vanity case constructions. Furthermore, it will be understood that in the construction illustrated, certain changes in the arrangement of parts may be made and that certain parts not essential to the principle of the invention may be omitted, whether or not other elements are substituted. Accordingly, I do not wish to be limited to the precise constructions herein shown or described, except as may be required by the appended claims considered with reference to the prior art.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. The combination with a vanity case having a slidable cover and a powder receptacle, of a mirror mounted in said case for movement from retracted position between said cover and receptacle to projected position beyond said receptacle, and means operative upon movement of said mirror to projected position to cause the mirror to assume an angular position in relation to said cover.

2. The combination with a vanity case having a slidable cover and a powder receptacle, of a mirror mounted in said case for movement from retracted position between said cover and receptacle to projected position beyond said receptacle, and spring means operative upon movement of said mirror to projected position to cause the mirror to assume an angular position in relation to said cover.

3. The combination with a vanity case having a slidable cover and a powder receptacle, of a mirror carried by said cover and movable therewith from retracted position in which said cover is closed to projected position in which said cover is open to permit access to said powder receptacle, and means operative upon movement of said cover to projected position to cause said mirror to assume a position at an angle to the plane of said cover.

4. The combination with a Vanity case having a slidable cover and a powder receptacle, of a mirror carried by said cover and movable therewith from retracted position in which said cover is closed to projected position in which said cover is open to permit access to said powder receptacle, and spring means operative upon movement of said cover to projected position to cause said mirror to assume a position at an angle to the plane of said cover.

5. A vanity case comprising a powder compartment, a slidable cover having a flexible portion and a rigid portion comprising a plate hinged to said flexible portion, and a mirror carried by said plate and pivotally mounted on the inner surface thereof whereby said mirror can be positioned at an angle to the plane of said plate when the cover is moved to open position.

6. A vanity case comprising a powder compartment, a slidable cover having a flexible portion and a rigid portion comprising a plate hinged to said flexible portion, a mirror carried by said plate and pivotally mounted on the inner surface thereof whereby said mirror can be positioned at an angle to the plane of said plate when the cover is moved to open position, and means for automatically moving said mirror to said angular position when the cover is moved to open position.

'7. A container having a movable closure therefor, a mirror carried by said closure, and a spring hinge for pivotally connecting said mirror to said closure whereby said mirror is automatically moved in relation to said closure when the latter is moved to open position.

8. A container having a movable closure therefor, a mirror carried by said closure, a spring hinge for pivotally connecting said mirror to said closure whereby said mirror is automatically moved in relation to said closure when the latter is moved to open position, said mirror engaging a part of said case when the closure is in closed position whereby said spring hinge is placed under tension and the mirror is releasably held against movement in relation to said closure.

9. A container having a movable closure therefor comprising a plate having inturned edge portions, a mirror'carried by said plate, and a spring 7 hinge between plate and mirror comprising a spring fixed to said mirror and provided with a central portion, side portions and end portions, said central portion being laterally displaced in relation to said side portions, and said end portions being reflexed and twisted in relation to said side portions and secured between said inturned and underlying portions of the plate.

10. A container having a movable closure therefor comprising a plate having inturned edge portions, a mirror carried by said plate, and a spring hinge between plate and mirror comprising a spring fixed to said mirror and provided with a central bowed portion, side portions and end portions, said central portion being laterally displaced in relation to said side portions, and said end portions being reflexed and twisted in relation to said side portions and secured between said inturned and underlying portions of the plate.

11. A container having a movable closure therefor comprising a plate having inturned edge portions, a mirror carried by said plate, said mirror comprising a mirror glass and a holder therefor, and a spring hinge between plate and mirror, said spring hinge comprising a spring having a central portion and side portions fixed to said holder, said central portion being laterally displaced and fixed between said holder and mirror glass, and said side portions extending below said inturned edge portions and provided with reflexed end portions fixed between said inturned portions and the underlying portions of the cover plate, said reflexed end portions being twisted in relation to said side portions of the spring.

12. A container having a movable closure therefor comprising a plate, a mirror carried by said plate, and a spring hinge between plate and mirror, said spring hinge comprising a spring wire having end portions fixed to said plate and a portion laterally displaced and twisted in relation to said end portions and fixed to said mirror.

13. A container having a movable closure therefor comprising a plate, a mirror carried by said plate, and a spring hinge between plate and mirror, said spring hinge comprising a spring wire having end portions fixed to said plate and a central bowed portion twisted in relation to said end portions and fixed to said mirror.

14. A vanity case comprising a container, a slidable closure for said container, a powder compartment within said container, a pivoted closure for said compartment, and a mirror pivotally mounted on the inner surface of said slidable closure whereby said mirror may be positioned in angular relation to said powder compartment to permit the latter to be held in a horizontal position during the use of the mirror thereby avoiding the spilling of powder from said compartment when its cover is opened.

15. A vanity case comprising a container, a slidable closure for said container, a powder compartment within said container, a pivoted closure for said compartment, a mirror pivotally mounted on the inner surface of said slidable closure whereby said mirror may be positioned in angular relation to said powder compartment to permit the latter to be held in a horizontal position during the use of the mirror thereby avoiding the spilling of powder from said compartment when its cover is opened, and means for automatically moving said mirror to said angular position when the closure is moved to open position.

16. An article of the class described comprising a container, a movable cover therefor, a mirror pivotally mounted on said cover and arranged to lie between container and cover when the latter is closed, and means for moving said mirror in relation to said cover about its pivot when said cover is moved to open position.

17. An article of the class described comprising a container, a movable cover therefor, a mirror pivotally mounted on said cover and. arranged to lie between container and cover when the latter is closed, and spring means for moving said mirror in relation to said cover about its pivot when said cover is moved to open position.

18.. In a vanity case comprising a powder compartment and a slidable closure having a flexible portion and a rigid portion, a mirror carried by said rigid portion and movable in angular relation to said powder compartment to project thereabove when the closure is moved to open position.

19. In a vanity case comprising a powder compartment and a slidable closure, a mirror carried by said closure and movable in angular relation to said compartment to project thereabove when said closure is moved to open position.

28. In a vanity case comprising a powder compartment and a slidable closure, a mirror carried by said closure and movable in angular relation to said compartment to project thereabove when said closure is moved to open position, and means operative upon movement of said closure to open position to automatically move said mirror to said angular position.

JACQUES KREISLER. 

